On the evening of Oct. 8, BYU-Idaho's Spirit Week Rodeo celebration was packed full of students at the Madison County Fairgrounds.

People filled every set of bleachers around the arena, and sounds of cheering and gasps filled the air with each performance.

What was most special of all was the multiple people who worked hard to put the show together, be it performers or those behind the scenes. Among them was Annie Payne, a BYU-Idaho student and Rodeo Queen.

Payne travels all over Southeast Idaho, representing Whoopee Days Rodeo and BYU-Idaho, but above all, Payne tries to represent Jesus Christ.

Payne expressed her hope that attendees would experience something special.

"I hope they feel the true American experience," Payne said. "... something about rodeo and working with animals and doing something a little crazy, it's just American. So I hope they feel that."

Payne wasn't the only person who had something special to say about the Rodeo experience.

Hinckley and Hendrix Baldwin, cousins, from one of the families behind the event, practiced their lassoing skills together outside the stadium.

Hugh Baldwin, Hinckley's dad, was the stock contractor for the Rodeo, providing all the animals for the performance, as would be announced over the stadium mic later that evening.

Hendrix's dad, Nathan Baldwin, had qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

"I hope they have fun. I hope that it gets loud," said Hinckley.

Hendrix expressed how he hoped the audience "gets the real meaning," out of the event; that it's for the animals' benefit just as much as the riders and the audience.

As the rodeo was about to start, riders and performers gathered in groups on the right side of the arena. One group of riders, however, stood apart.

The announcer's voice rang out over the speakers: "For over 45 years, the Americanos of Rexburg, Idaho, have proudly expressed their love for this country ... from the west coast to the east coast."

The Americanos themselves (a dozen or so riders in red, white and blue) waited at the ready, as the announcer went on to explain that they are mostly made up of Ricks College and BYU-Idaho Alumni.

The Americanos rode out to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The U.S.A." with flags flying high, before lining up in a row facing the front end of the stadium.

Loretta Myers from Lewisville, Idaho, sang the National Anthem. As Myers began, one of the Americanos performed the first of the many equestrian feats that would be accomplished that night: Roman Riding. As the national anthem continued, the Americano stood atop two horses at a reverent speed for the flags behind him to wave in the wind for all to see.

Reminiscent of a chariot, the Americano rode about the whole complex until the anthem neared its end, and with that, the Americanos rode one last circle and left the arena.

Perhaps the spirit of the event was best captured in what both Payne and the Baldwin cousins expressed: it's loud, it's fun, it's a little crazy, and it's American.